Getting a State ID: The 14-Step Process.

About three years ago, Neighborhood Allies had a young man in high school come to us for help finding a job. We were eager to help, but quickly realized there was a problem. Our newly found Aly did not own an ID.

Usually this meant just an extra step or two, but with the overwhelming odds that were stacked against this young man, we found this to be far from the truth.

We initially started off by making a visit to the BMV. After waiting for our turn, we were told that his social security card was too damaged to be accepted. This meant that in order to get an ID, we first had to get a new social security card.

In order to do this, you need your SSN. Our first step in finding his SSN was going to his school. We requested an official transcript with all of his personal information listed. When we got the transcript back, his SSN was nowhere to be found.

Our next visit was to Children’s Hospital so we could access his medical records. Before we could access his records, we needed signed permission from a legal guardian. When we brought in the signed form from his mother, we found out that she was not listed as his guardian. This put us back to square one and left us with few options remaining.

The next two years were spent repeating a cycle of being rejected, not having the right documents, and not receiving the necessary help we needed.

This past year, our Ally turned 18. This gave him the legal right to access his medical records, find his SSN, and file for all of the necessary documents to confirm his identity.

After three years, 6 visits to the BMV, a visit to the social security office, 3 visits to the school, two visits to Children’s Hospital, and 14 interactions with public services, we were finally able to get him an ID.

It was a brutal process, but our Ally is now able to finally enter a trade skill program and find a job.

While not every process of getting an ID may look like this, it most certainly goes to show that even the slightest bump in the road can throw everything off. Something as little as a damaged social security card can turn a couple weeks process into three years.